Northern California cities top the chart with highest credit scores

San Jose & San Francisco rank highest

Two metropolitan areas in northern California ranked highest in a recent study conducted by TransUnion that revealed metropolitan areas with the highest and lowest credit scores.

According to TransUnion, the metropolitan area consisting of San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara ranked highest of any metropolitan area in the U.S. with an average credit score of 700.

The metropolitan area consisting of San Francisco, Oakland and Fremont took second place in the ranking of highest credit score with an average score of 696. Third place went to Madison, WI with an average credit score of 694.

“Just as an individual’s credit score is a measure of the risk that consumer presents to a lender, our study calculated the credit score that would correspond to the risk presented on average by residents of various metropolitan areas,” Heather Battison, senior director at TransUnion, said in a statement.

Memphis ranks lowest

The unfortunate distinction of having the worst collective credit score went to Memphis, TN, TransUnion said.

Memphis had a collective credit score of 638, and the Texas metropolitan area consisting of McAllen, Edinburg and Mission took second on the “worst” list with a score of 639.

The city of Jackson, MS was third worst with a collective credit score of 642.

“We want to congratulate those cities that have the lowest average credit risk, or the highest credit scores — and help educate those with high credit risk, or low credit scores,” Battison said.

In the report, TransUnion offered tips to help consumers boost struggling credit scores. Tips included keeping balances on accounts relatively low, paying on time and limiting credit inquiries.